Communications related to AECOM Pedal Confusion Research

Keith Prince: Can you provide me copies of all emails, memorandums and handwritten notes associated with TfL’s commissioning of AECOM to research pedal confusion?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to look into this information request and respond to you directly.
TfL’s Bus Safety Standard (BSS), which has been applied to all new vehicles entering London’s bus fleet since 2019, requires the presence of pedal indicator lights in the driver’s cab, with the aim of reducing incidences of pedal confusion. The BSS 2021 requires “brake toggling” to help reinstate the driver’s positioning and awareness of the pedal location. Other measures for reducing incidents of pedal confusion will be required on new buses from 2024. On 13 February 2020, TfL commissioned AECOM to explore the extent, key causes and patterns of pedal confusion incidents, and assess a range of solutions to address them. TfL anticipates the report being complete in early 2022, as previously mentioned in my answer to Mayor’s Question 2021/4905.

London’s Sustainable Drainage System requirements

Zack Polanski: London saw repeated challenges to drainage from surface water flooding in 2021. What assessment do you have of the need and relative prioritisation across the city for investment in forms of drainage that can make it more of a sponge city, such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)?

The Mayor: Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), along with other greening techniques can help deal with excess water in an urban environment, creating a sponge city.The need for more SuDS is widely recognised and embedded in our national and local planning systems including in my London Plan and Transport Strategy.
Modelling undertaken as part of the London Strategic SuDS pilot study (LSSPS) has identified the best locations for SuDS to reduce surface water flood risk. This is a powerful evidence base to justify investment for “distributed SuDS”: multiple, small retrofit SuDS across a catchment. This report estimates that London needs £1bn of investment in SuDs infrastructure in high priority locations.
The LSSPS covers six boroughs, it was funded through the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and is a partnership between several organisations including the GLA, TfL, Thames Water, several London Boroughs and the Environment Agency. I have called on Government for funding to expand the pilot so that SuDS interventions can be optimised throughout London.

Support package for hospitality

Zack Polanski: In response to the recent hospitality support package announced by the Chancellor on 21 December 2021, you said that the package: “does not go nearly far enough towards providing the level of support our world-renowned retail, hospitality, nightlife and cultural sectors need.” What have you done since this announcement to lobby the Government to ensure that London’s industries, as well as freelancers and gig economy workers, are protected?

The Mayor: I have consistently called on the Government to provide adequate support for those businesses most impacted by the pandemic, especially those in the retail, hospitality, leisure, night-time and cultural sectors. I have also called for increased support for freelancers and the self-employed.
‘Plan B’ measures were introduced at the most important time of the year for most hospitality businesses, who lost valuable income in the run up to Christmas. This was particularly the case for theatres, pubs, clubs and restaurants which operate in central London.
That is whythe Covid Business Forum and I wrote to the Prime Minister to ask the Government to provide an urgent package of support for businesses. I will continue to push the Government to provide support beyond the inadequate measures announced on 21 December, including full business rates relief, extending the VAT relief scheme and substantially increasing direct grant funding.

Rising inflation

Zack Polanski: What are you doing to protect Londoners from the impacts of rising inflation and the increased costs that it brings? What meetings have you had with Government about this?

The Mayor: I am deeply concerned about the impact that rising inflation will have on Londoners – not least because I know how difficult things already are for so many, and have been for some time.
I am working to reduce the cost of household energy bills through my Warmer Homes programme, which provides free energy efficiency improvements for Londoners on low incomes, and I fund the Warmer Homes Advice Service – a network of free local energy advice services covering energy saving advice, financial help and support for dealing with energy bill debts.
I am also working with partners to support Londoners at risk of falling into financial hardship through the Robust Safety Net recovery mission; I continue to encourage employers to pay their staff the London Living Wage; and on top of the 72,000 affordable homes started since 2016 I am committed to funding an additional 79,000 between April 2021 and March 2026.
I’ll continue to explore options for further actions, but these are challenges that require action at the national level. Ministers should extend both the value and coverage of the Warm Home Discount so that it provides greater support to all who need it. And they should commit to extending the Household Support Fund to avoid a cliff-edge in support. I will continue to push the Government to ensure that Londoners, especially those who are most vulnerable, are protected from the cost-of-living increase where possible.

Green washing in the finance sector

Zack Polanski: Do you share my concerns about green washing in the finance industry? What work are you doing to encourage London businesses, particularly in the finance sector, to take up the Green Claims Code to combat this?

The Mayor: For London to remain a leading centre of green finance, we need to ensure that the growth in environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investment which we have seen in recent years is accompanied by rigorous standards to hit net zero and avoid ‘greenwashing’. The City of London is fully committed to this agenda and last year, a poll of global institutional investors showed that London is leading the world in acceleration and adoption of the ESG agenda.

London Fire Brigade Training

Susan Hall: Are you confident that the LFB training figures provided to you and the London Assembly are accurate given what has come to light during the Grenfell Tower Inquiry?

The Mayor: Please see the response to MQ2021/4943.

London Fire Brigade Capacity (2)

Susan Hall: Does the Mayor believe that LFB is at a stage where it needs to re-evaluate the amount of support being given to the LAS due to the fact that several times last month a third of fire appliances were unable to run?

The Mayor: Operation Braidwood - which saw firefighters driving ambulances to assist the London Ambulance Service and responding to Covid-19 deaths in the community - was one of the most significant blue light collaboration projects London has ever seen. From April 2020 until December 2021 around 500London firefighters volunteered to drive ambulances to support the London Ambulance Service and firefighters responded to 165,000 incidents whilst driving ambulances.
The Brigade is not currently seconding firefighters to the Ambulance Service as the arrangement came to an end on 2nd December and therefore had no bearing on the Brigade’s staffing capacity in December. The Brigade continues to discuss with LAS colleagues what support it can offer and I also discuss this in my meetings with the London Fire Commissioner.

Greener Homes in Brent and Harrow

Krupesh Hirani: What are you doing to ensure Greener Homes in Brent and Harrow?

The Mayor: I’m committed to ensuring London’s homes, existing and new, are warmer, greener, healthier and more affordable including to operate.
My Warmer Homes programme provides up to £5,500 to upgrade home energy efficiency to vulnerable social and private sector tenants. My Warmer Homes Advice Service provides energy and water saving advice. My Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator helps social housing providers develop retrofit programmes and bid for funding from the government's Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Details on support for solar PV are provided in response to MQ 2022/0412 and MQ 2022/0413.
My London Plan requires new developments to deliver carbon reductions of at least 35 per cent over national building regulations. My Affordable Homes Programmes (AHP) have supported greener homes across London. The AHP 2021-26 requires new homes funded to adhere to six sustainability standards, including net zero-carbon targets. I have allocated funding for 701 homes in Brent and 411 in Harrow.

Working days lost to sickness (1)

Anne Clarke: According to the Corporate Performance Digest, the LFB have not met their 3.65% target for “working days lost to sickness - operational staff” since at least April 2013. Are you able to explain why 3.65% is the target and whether it has been reviewed to see if it is appropriate?

The Mayor: Please see the response to MQ2021/5036.

London Living Wage

Hina Bokhari: Further to data provided in response to Question 2015/3961 please provide the most recent data for both the total number and proportion of jobs in Greater London paying less than the London Living Wage since the GLA first set the London Living Wage in 2005?

The Mayor: The table below provides estimates of the number and proportion of employee jobs in London with hourly pay below the London Living Wage (LLW).
Year
Number of employee jobs in 000’s
Proportion of employee jobs*
London Living Wage Rate
2005
446
13.3%
£6.70
2006
406
12.0%
£6.70
2007
446
12.7%
£7.05
2008
469
12.8%
£7.20
2009
454
12.8%
£7.45
2010
471
13.0%
£7.60
2011
542
14.8%
£7.85
2012
611
16.7%
£8.30
2013
669
17.4%
£8.55
2014
755
19.1%
£8.80
2015
798
20.0%
£9.15
2016
802
19.5%
£9.40
2017
814
19.4%
£9.75
2018
871
20.5%
£10.20
2019
838
19.7%
£10.55
2020
790
19.5%
£10.75
2021 (provisional)
700
17.2%
£10.85
Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
*Workplace-based estimates. This does not include self-employed workers.

‘Lift the Ban’ Campaign Council Support

Hina Bokhari: What pro-active actions are you taking to encourage local councils to support the Refugee Council's 'Lift the Ban' campaign?

The Mayor: London is a city built by people from all backgrounds and all corners of the world. It is only right that we stand up for others and provide asylum to those in need. When we welcome people seeking asylum into our communities and enable them to become part of life in the capital, we all benefit. Itis unacceptable that people seeking asylum are left in limbo for too long, many without the ability to work.
I havelongurged the Government to make policy changes to remove the barriers asylum seekers face to participating fully in London life and being part of the communities in which they live, and I wholeheartedly support the Lift the Ban campaign.
My team will continue to work with local authorities and civil society to support the social integration of people seeking asylum. The GLA chairs the London Asylum Group which provides a regional forum for consultation on central and local government policy development related to people seeking asylum. Its membership reflects a range of organisations and groups, including local authorities, and has provided an opportunity for discussion about the Lift the Ban campaign.

Outcome of Let’s Do London Campaign on Smaller Museums

Hina Bokhari: What measurable outcomes have been achieved by the ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign last year in terms of supporting smaller museums located in Greater London, such as the Migration Museum, Horniman Museum and Gardens, and London Museum of Water & Steam, through domestic footfall into London?

The Mayor: Let’s Do London aims to signal confidence, drive footfall and increase spend in the Central Activities Zone, which is roughly the area inside the Circle Line. The Central Activities Zone is our economic powerhouse but is facing particularly significant challenges due to the impact of the pandemic. For example, compared to central zones in other major cities such as New York or Paris – London’s Central Activities Zone has fewer residentsand a greater reliance on tourists and workers returning.
The campaign has funded projects across the Central Activities Zone including those with museums, such as the Museum of Youth Culture, the Science Museum and the National Gallery, and supported hundreds of businesses and freelancers. To date, the campaign has contributed £70 million back into London’s economy.
Organisations across Greater London have been able to join the campaign, using the Let’s Do London messaging to help increase footfall. London cultural organisations and museums are also being supported through my other programmes, including London Borough of Culture and the Culture and Community Spaces at Risk office.

London Apprenticeship Service

Zack Polanski: What recent discussions have you had regarding the devolution of powers and additional funding to establish a London Apprenticeship Service?

The Mayor: I set out my proposals for additional flexibilities and the devolution of apprenticeships funding in the Call for Action, jointly published with London Councils in 2019. This included calling for London government to be given responsibility and associated funding to establish a London Apprenticeship Service to work with businesses of all sizes to identify how apprenticeships could help their businesses and support them to access funding.
Since then I have been working to support employers in London to pledge over £9m in apprenticeship levy funds and create more apprenticeship opportunities in the capital through the London Progression Collaboration (LPC).
In line with the work of the LPC, I am glad that the government has implemented some reforms to the apprenticeship system, including new incentives for employers creating apprenticeships and measures to make it easier for employers to transfer unspent levy funds to each other.
However, I continue to make the case to Ministers for additional flexibilities and the devolution of funding to boost the number of high-quality apprenticeships and support the capital’s recovery.

Green academies and apprenticeships

Zack Polanski: Since making a commitment in your manifesto, what progress have you made on developing a green skills academy, including green apprenticeships?

The Mayor: The London Recovery Programme set out clear ambitions to address skills shortages, create opportunities for Londoners to move into good jobs and support a green recovery. The Mayor’s Academies Programme (MAP) has been developed as an important part of this. It covers Green and other sectors which are key to London’s recovery and provide opportunities for Londoners, particularly those hardest hit by the pandemic, to move into good jobs, including apprenticeships.
I issued the MAP Prospectus in August 2021 and will shortly be launching the Academy hubs, including a number covering Green jobs and skills. Each one will deliver training, work experience and employment support (e.g. careers advice and mentoring) to Londoners. The MAP’s Quality Mark will ensure a high standard of delivery throughout. This will give confidence to employers and Londoners that the training offered is relevant to in-demand jobs and apprenticeships and prepares learners for these.

Earls Court Partnership Limited decision making

Zack Polanski: How does Transport for London (TfL) influence decisions made between the group owners of Earls Court Partnership Limited (ECP)?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is a 37 per cent shareholder in Earls Court Partnership Limited (ECPL). The delivery and development of the assets owned by ECPL are the responsibility of the management business, Earls Court Development Company (ECDC), that reports into ECPL. TfL has representation on the Board of ECPL and provides input into key decisions, including ECPL’s annual business plan.

Fire Safety Order

Anne Clarke: What effect, if any, is the Government’s failure to amend the Fire Safety Order, to implement recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry having on the ability of the LFB to keep Londoners safe?

The Mayor: Please see the response to MQ2021/5040.

Earls Court Partnership Limited and the role of the Mayor

Zack Polanski: What role do you play in Earls Court Partnership Limited (ECP) as Chair of Transport for London (TfL)?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is a 37 per cent shareholder in Earls Court Partnership Limited (ECPL). TfL has representation on the Board of ECPL and provides input into key decisions, including ECPL’s annual business plan.
The TfL Board approves the most important matters affecting TfL, including strategic issues, policies and major investment. TfL’s representation on the ECPL Board helps ensure that ECPL follows TfL and Mayoral policies, and any major investment decision by TfL in ECPL would be referred to the TfL Board for consideration.

Refusing Planning Permission

Anne Clarke: Do you, and the boroughs, have the right to refuse planning permission from those developers that are yet to remediate the safety defects on their existing buildings? If the right does not exist, what discussions, if any, have you had with the Government to give you, and the boroughs, that right?

The Mayor: Legally all planning applications have to be assessed on their individual merits against the planning policies in the Development Plan. For all the local planning authorities in London the Development Plan is made up of my London Plan and the Local Plan of the individual local planning authorities. Planning permission cannot be refused and used as a penalty/sanction where a developer has yet to remediate the safety defects on their existing buildings. I have not had any discussions with Government on using the refusal of planning permission as a sanction in this way. To refuse planning permission in the circumstances set out in your question would require legislation from the government, which it appears from press reports that the SoS may be considering.

The Mayor: Legally all planning applications have to be assessed on their individual merits against the planning policies in the Development Plan. For all the local planning authorities in London the Development Plan is made up of my London Plan and the Local Plan of the individual local planning authorities. Planning permission cannot be refused and used as a penalty/sanction where a developer has yet to remediate the safety defects on their existing buildings. I have not had any discussions with Government on using the refusal of planning permission as a sanction in this way.

National Review of the ‘Stay Put’ Principle

Anne Clarke: What effect, if any, is the Government’s failure to publish research or provide new guidelines to implement recommendation 28 of the Grenfell Inquiry having on the ability of the LFB to keep Londoners safe?

The Mayor: Please see the response to MQ2021/5041.

Commemorating 50 Years of the Ugandan Asians Expulsion

Krupesh Hirani: My constituency of Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the world and is where 10,000 of the estimated 30,000 Ugandan Asians settled when they arrived in the UK following expulsion. Would the Mayor join me in commemorating and also celebrating the successes of those Asians and their families who, 50 years ago, were expelled from Uganda and came to London and the UK?

The Mayor: We draw huge strength from migrants and refugees who have made London their home. They have helped shape our communities, culture and economy in myriad ways, making London a welcoming, diverse and truly global city. I join you in celebrating Ugandan Asians and their families’ contributions to our city. London has and will continue to welcome people from across the world, and I will work tirelessly to ensure their rights are protected.

Eating Disorders in London (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: The NICE Guidance says that people with eating disorders will not be turned away based on their BMI, but this is something that continues to happen. How are you working with stakeholders across London to try and ensure no one is turned away based on their BMI, in line with Hope Virgo’s #DumpTheScales campaign?

The Mayor: I am deeply concerned by reports that Londoners are being turned away from care or treatment.
Whilst I am not responsible for health and care services, including eating disorder treatment, I will continue to use my role as Mayor to call for equal and improved provision of and access to services across London.
I continue to meet regularly with senior NHS leaders to champion and challenge them to provide the high quality care Londoners deserve, including adherence to evidence-based guidance.
NHS England & Improvement and Healthy London Partnership are working with adult eating disorder (AED) services to ensure that AED pathways remove any barriers to access such as weight or BMI. Services have been asked to share their plans to remove the BMI thresholds. As a part of the community mental health ambition, systems will be creating plans to remove BMI thresholds through 22/23.

Eating Disorders in London (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: We have seen a huge increase in the number of children and adults with eating disorders during the pandemic. How are you working with key stakeholders across London to tackle this rise and ensure that people affected by eating disorders in London are getting the right care?

The Mayor: I continue to meet regularly with senior healthcare leaders to champion and challenge them to provide the high quality care Londoners deserve. Across London, work is being undertaken to maintain the 95% NHS waiting time standard for both urgent and routine eating disorder cases and ensure there is sufficient service capacity to support the increased demand.
My health advisor Dr Tom Coffey continues to endorse eating disorder guidelines for professionals across London, raising awareness of the signs of eating disorders, and how to support children and young people across different settings.
Last year I invested £70,000 in expanding Good Thinking’s digital mental health support offer to young Londoners. This includes information, advice and support for young people, parents and carers affected by an eating disorder. I am also ensuring that London’s Youth Mental Health First Aiders are offered training around eating disorders in the coming months.

Eating Disorders in London (4)

Caroline Pidgeon: How is Thrive LDN working with experts and specialists to ensure the right messaging is being put out around eating disorders, and particularly that the messaging around obesity is not triggering for those with eating disorders?

The Mayor: Through Thrive LDN, London has an established participation-driven partnership that engages with and responds to the needs and insights of Londoners. Thrive LDN works with a range of organisations who specialise in supporting vulnerable Londoners, ensuring messaging around sensitive subject matters like obesity is approached considerately and appropriately. This includes government agencies, such as the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, but also community and grassroots organisations who are working directly with Londoners, especially those who face the most challenging circumstances.
Working together across all of London’s health and care system is the only way in which we will tackle our city’s most complex health and care challenges. Through the Healthy Place, Healthy Weight Recovery Mission, partners remain aware of and sensitive to language being used, focusing on health and the importance of creating healthy local environments with multiple benefits, rather than on individual behaviour change.

Eating Disorders in London (3)

Caroline Pidgeon: Access to treatment for eating disorders varies hugely across London. How are you working with boroughs and others to end inequalities in access to care and treatment and ensure that all Londoners suffering from eating disorders have access to support and treatment?

The Mayor: Through my Health Inequalities Strategy I set out plans to tackle unfair differences in health to make London a healthier, fairer city. Whilst I am not responsible or accountable for health and care services, I continue to meet regularly with senior NHS leaders and health and care partners to champion and challenge them to provide the high quality care Londoners deserve, including improved and equal provision of services across London.
In line with the Advancing Mental Health Equalities Strategy, work is underway within London’s Integrated Care Systems to ensure that Community Eating Disorder services are co-produced and ensure equality in service access. This includes tailored outreach and working with the VCS to support underserved communities such as BAME communities, transgender and non-binary people, and groups more at risk of developing an eating disorder but less likely to report good experiences of care in NHS services, such as LGBTQIA+communities.

Planning for London programme

Andrew Boff: With the publication of the Planning for London Programme call for evidence, are you setting out a plan for reviewing the London Plan, and if so, what are the timeframes and next steps?

The Mayor: The London Plan 2021 provides the right policy framework for London and its recovery from the pandemic, and I do not intend to review it during this Mayoral term.
However, given that the National Planning Policy Framework advises that plans should be reviewed every five years, officers are starting early preparations now through the Planning for London Programme since a review of the London Plan is a significant undertaking that takes several years.
The Programme is intended to provide a structure to start gathering evidence, capturing views of stakeholders and identifying issues and options that a future review of the London Plan could consider. It will collate and report on its findings though will not make definitive recommendations as to what a future London Plan should contain.
The Programme will run throughout 2022 and potentially beyond. Once the current call for evidence concludes, an initial phase of engagement is envisaged in the run up to March 2022, which will seek to capture a wide range of views around broad areas of discussion. Later phases starting in late Spring/Summer will enable more detailed discussions on specific issues, including key long-term challenges facing London and the range of options and approaches that could help address them.

Staff shortages (1)

Marina Ahmad: The Government has been urged by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to make it easier for care workers to come to the UK as the sector was facing "severe and increasing" problems with hiring and retaining staff after Brexit. How widespread is this problem in London?

The Mayor: The Care Quality Commission’s ‘State of health care and adult social care in England 2020/21’ report confirms that the social care sector is facing significant hiring difficulties. The vacancy rate of residential care providers has increased from 6.0% in April 2021 to 10.2% in September 2021, and London has the highest vacancy rate of any region at 11.0%.
It issensible that the Government has recognised the urgency of the challenge by relaxing its immigration rules; making care workers, care assistants and home care workers eligible for the Health and Care Visa for a 12 month period from early this year.
Ultimately the shortages in London’s social care workforce - the highest vacancy rate in England - can only be addressed if the Government properly funds this vital sector that so many vulnerable Londoners rely on; and changes course to end the labour shortages directly created by Brexit.

Staff shortages (2)

Marina Ahmad: Are there any other sectors in London that could benefit from a relaxing of the immigration rules?

The Mayor: Yes. Businesses in construction, healthcare, haulage and hospitality say they are now struggling to recruit staff for key roles; in part due to EU workers returning to their country of origin during the pandemic, and also the new post-Brexit immigration rules.
I have called on Government to create a Covid Recovery Visa for construction workers and to create a regional shortage occupation list that allows London and other cities to attract and retain staff in sectors with acute labour shortages.
The vacancy rate in construction is at its highest in twenty years. Our recovery and delivery of the genuinely affordable homes Londoners desperately need could now be put at risk if there isn’t the skilled workforce available to build them.

Apprenticeship funding

Marina Ahmad: Apprenticeship funding is not currently within your jurisdiction, but you have lobbied Government for the powers and funding to establish a London Apprenticeship Service and to retain a proportion of London’s unspent levy to create a devolved regional fund. Can you update me on the conversations you are having with Government on this?

The Mayor: I set out my proposals for additional flexibilities and the devolution of apprenticeships funding in the Call for Action, jointly published with London Councils in 2019. This included calling for London government to be given responsibility and associated funding to establish a London Apprenticeship Service to work with businesses of all sizes to identify how apprenticeships could help their businesses and support them to access funding.
Since then I have been working to support employers in London to pledge over £9m in levy funds and create apprenticeship opportunities in the capital through the London Progression Collaboration (LPC).
In line with the work of the LPC, I am glad that the government has implemented some reforms to the apprenticeship system, including new incentives for employers creating apprenticeships and measures to make it easier for employers to transfer unspent levy funds to each other.
However, I continue to make the case to Ministers for additional flexibilities and the devolution of funding to boost the number of high-quality apprenticeships and support the capital’s recovery.

High inflation

Marina Ahmad: Inflation is now running at 5.1%, the highest in a decade, and it is expected to rise further this year. What impact is this having on Londoners and London’s economy? How can you support Londoners who are struggling with high living costs?

The Mayor: Cost pressures are rising across the economy, increasing costs for households and businesses in a number of ways. With inflation set to hit 6% and Londoners facing 50% price rises in their energy costs, we need action.
I am working to reduce the cost of household energy bills through my Warmer Homes programme, which provides free energy efficiency improvements for Londoners on low incomes, and I fund the Warmer Homes Advice Service – a network of free local energy advice services covering energy saving advice, financial help and support for dealing with energy bill debts.
More broadly I am working with partners to support Londoners at risk of falling into financial hardship through the Robust Safety Net recovery mission; I continue to encourage employers to pay their staff the London Living Wage; and on top of the 72,000 affordable homes started since 2016 I am committed to funding an additional 79,000 between April 2021 and March 2026.

Impact of Brexit

Marina Ahmad: It has now been a year since the UK left the EU. Can you outline the impact that this has had on London’s economy and Londoners over the past year?

The Mayor: London’s economy has suffered from the impact of the Covid pandemic and Brexit in 2021; and it is not straightforward to disentangle their impacts on the UK and London economy.

Average distance travelled by person per mode in London

Siân Berry: Using data showing travel in London by mode of transport, could you provide an estimate of the average distance in kilometres travelled per person by mode in each year since 2016?

The Mayor: The table below shows estimates of average distance travelled by mode from Transport for London’s (TfL’s) London Travel Demand Survey (LTDS). This is the most appropriate form of data on this topic, but it has some key limitations. These are:
Average distance travelled by mode per person per year (kilometres).
Trips wholly within Greater London. Source: London Travel Demand Survey
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
National Rail
509
648
519
521
Underground/DLR
716
746
711
753
Bus/tram
370
398
379
378
Taxi/other
72
66
61
66
Car driver
673
845
667
618
Car passenger
315
475
325
328
Motorcycle
18
23
21
14
Cycle
67
70
75
81
Walk
203
154
161
242
All
2,942
3,426
2,919
3,000
Comparable data for 2020/21 is not available owing to pandemic-related interruptions to TfL’s survey programme. A sense of the broad scale of impact of the coronavirus pandemic on personal travel in London can however be gained from TfL’s Travel in London report 14, available here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-14.pdf.

Waste

Leonie Cooper: Separating food waste is important, but improving recycling levels, especially of dry recyclates is equally important in reducing residual waste. Wandsworth has a record so poor it is in the bottom six of local authorities nationally. Have they asked for any help or advice on how to improve their recycling rates, as part of their discussions over their Reduction and Recyling plans?

The Mayor: Wandsworth collect the six main dry recyclables required by my London Environment Strategy (LES) but the current collection contract does not include provision for the required food waste collections.
I approved Wandsworth’s RRP on the proviso that they committed to a food waste trial starting in January 2021, with the expectation of a full roll out when the contract is renewed in 2024, as other boroughs in the Western Riverside Waste Authority have done. Wandsworth’s small trial started in November 2021 to 2200 households.
Advice to boroughs on improving recycling rates is through two routes: advice on RRPs by my officers and technical advice and assistance through ReLondon, a partnership between the GLA and London’s boroughs. Wandsworth have not requested help or advice from either organisation; however, as part of London-wide modelling to support boroughs in their RRP development, ReLondon provided information to them on the likely impact of introducing different service models, this included specific data on food waste services in Wandsworth.
Wandsworth are due to tender a new waste and recycling contract and following formal notification to me by the borough my officers will assess the specification to ensure conformity with the LES, including the requirement for a separate food waste collection.

Bus service cuts consultations

Siân Berry: In recent consultations on bus service cuts, Transport for London (TfL) has said: “we have identified a key bus corridor in central London where capacity exceeds passenger demand. This means that we are providing a higher level of service than is required.” Could you outline any process by which TfL has also identified the impact on passengers at the destinations of these routes, especially in areas with low Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTALs)?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) considers the passenger impacts of all proposed changes to the bus network. This includes using data to calculate how many current direct trips between destinations would require interchange to the same complete journeys and changes in journey time as a result of a route change or frequency reduction. This is balanced against changes in costs and fares income. Access to public transport is also a consideration.
Service levels in Outer London (and also parts of Inner London where Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTALs) are low) have generally been maintained because PTALs are typically lower than in Central London, which continues to have a much denser public transport network.

Date for commencement of tunnel boring for the Silvertown Road Tunnel

Siân Berry: What date does Transport for London (TfL) currently expect for the launch of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the Silvertown Road Tunnel?

The Mayor: The tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Silvertown Tunnel remains on course to be assembled on site this spring, with parts already having begun to arrive on site in December 2021. Shortly after its assembly on site, and following final on-site testing and assurance, the TBM will launch to begin excavation of the main tunnel bores.
Other construction works, including piling and excavation for the sections of the tunnel that are not constructed using the TBM, are already well underway.

Local Business Support

Leonie Cooper: With Covid making a lot of people hesitant to use local restaurants and businesses, is there anything you can do to help Merton and Wandsworth pubs, shops and businesses that have suffered over the Christmas period?

The Mayor: It remains an extremely challenging time for hospitality and retail businesses in your Merton and Wandsworth constituency and across the capital. The combination of ‘Plan B’ measures introduced by government to stem the spread of the Omicron Covid variant and people’s understandable caution hit local high streets hard during what should have been the busiest time of year.
The London Covid Business Forum and I have called for an urgent package of support from government before Christmas, including full business rates relief, an extension of the VAT relief scheme and an increase to direct grant funding. The government’s response – while including an expansion to grant funding for business provided through boroughs including Merton and Wandsworth - has not been adequate.
My London Business Hub continues to provide free information and advice how best to access that support, as well as programmes and webinars for small businesses. I would also encourage businesses to explore whether launching a crowdfunding campaign on Pay it Forward London might help them through this difficult time.

Food Banks

Leonie Cooper: Food bank usage continues to increase. What are you doing to support food banks and specifically in Merton and Wandsworth?

The Mayor: I am deeply concerned by the increase in food bank usage – especially as the latest figures reflect a period before the impact of the removal of the Universal Credit uplift, the end of furlough, rising inflation and additional winter pressures would have been felt.
Through the ‘Robust Safety Net’ recovery mission I am working with partners to improve access to the available support that can prevent or alleviate financial hardship. This includes the Advice in Community Settings grants programme, which is funding partnerships between advice agencies and community locations like schools, food banks and community centres to help people access advice. One of the partnerships is with Little Village which runs a baby bank in Wandsworth
Through my Food Roots incubator programme I am funding ten food partnerships across London including Wandsworth’s partnership led by Be Enriched, involving the Wandsworth Food Bank. This will support groups to deliver initiatives that help tackle food insecurity. Merton was also one of ten local authorities I previously supported to produce a food poverty action plan.

Regeneration

Leonie Cooper: Are there any examples of regeneration schemes anywhere in London on Council-owned land where Mayoral approval has been granted for a scheme that includes less than 35% affordable housing?

The Mayor: The majority of estate regeneration schemes in London provide in excess of 35 per cent affordable housing. Over the last three years the level of affordable housing in approved referable applications has ranged from 34 to 50.5 per cent, with most schemes providing between 40 and 50 per cent. The development with 34 per cent affordable housing is the Winstanley Estate, Wandsworth. This excludes shared equity units which do not meet the Mayor’s criteria to qualify for affordable housing.

Borough Night Time Strategies (2)

Siân Berry: Which local authorities had adopted the Night Test and annual audit by 2021 as recommended in the Night Time Strategy? Please provide the information as a list, with links to these audits.

The Mayor: In 2019 the London Night Time Commission recommended that a Night Test should be introduced for all new policies to rate their impact on London’s culture, sociability, wellbeing and economy at night.
The idea of a Night Test as a formalised council policy is still being explored by local authorities, particularly as part of the development of night time strategies. However, many are already reviewing existing data, policies, strategies and projects through the lens of night time and integrating night time as a critical consideration in new projects.
Through the supportwe haveprovided so far, three boroughs areat vision or action plan stage of strategy development and six boroughs are atthe scoping and evidence gathering stagesof night time strategy development. My officers continue to provide support to all boroughs via the Night Time Borough Champions network, as well as specific workshops and support in utilising data to enable the creation of night time strategies based on evidence.

Idling Buses (1)

Neil Garratt: In what circumstances should London bus drivers leave their engine idling, and when should they switch the engine off?

The Mayor: Drivers are directed to switch off their engine when they come onto a bus stand and as soon as they can in a bus station if they are not continuing in service.Bus operators encourage this with training and depot posters and understand its importance in both minimising the impact of their vehicles on the community and the environment and in avoiding wasting fuel. This advice is reinforced in the ‘Big Red Book’ manual that Transport for London issues to all bus drivers.

Borough Night Time Strategies (1)

Siân Berry: How many boroughs have developed visions for their local area at night as required by Policy HC6 of your new London Plan? Could you provide published versions of the visions produced so far, and an expected publication date for those boroughs who have not yet published?

The Mayor: In 2019, the LondonNight TimeCommission recommended that I produceguidance for boroughs to help them developnight timestrategies. More than just a vision,these strategies are intended to gobeyond thenight timeeconomy and cover all aspects of night time activity in a borough between 6pm and 6am.
In March 2021, I published comprehensive guidance on how to create anight timestrategy and launched theNight TimeData Observatory to help boroughs make informed decisions in their plans.
Croydon, Lewisham, and the London Legacy Development Corporation have already publishednight timevisions or action plans (links below). My Night Czar and24 HourLondon team are working with boroughs across the capital to support them in the development of theirnight timestrategies. Through the supportwe haveprovided so far, six boroughs are atthe scoping and evidence gathering stageof strategy developmentand three boroughs areat vision or action plan stage. My officers continue to provide support to all boroughs via the Night Time Borough Champions network, as well as specific workshops and support in utilising data to enable the creation of night time strategies based on evidence.
Croydon - https://www.croydon.gov.uk/business-licences-and-tenders/running-business/croydons-evening-and-night-time-economy-plan-2019-2024
Lewisham - https://lewisham.gov.uk/-/media/files/imported/eveningandnight-timeoffer.ashx
LLDC (London Legacy Development Corporation) - https://www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/-/media/lldc/planning/supplementary-planning-documents/night-time-economy/final_evening-and-night-time-economy-spd-2021-22-july-21.ashx?la=en

Commercially funded announcements at tube stations

Siân Berry: Over Christmas, a promotion for Mariah Carey and Amazon was used as an announcement at tube stations on the Transport for London (TfL) network. What assessment was made prior to this campaign of the equality impact of this promotion, including any consequences of these messages being longer and potentially more intrusive than regular announcements, and what revenue did it raise?

The Mayor: Themed PA announcements, as part of commercial activities, must comply with strict guidelines in terms of length and content. They are also rigorously reviewed and tested prior to going live in a station. Regular customer announcements continued to run during this period and would always take precedence over any commercial activity.
The themed PA announcements ran in Victoria Station on 10, 11 and 12 December and generated £30,000 of net income to Transport for London.

Planning information on the GLA website re Homebase, Manor Road, Richmond

Siân Berry: Residents have contacted me about incorrect information relating to GLA application 2020/6252/S3 on the GLA planning webpage. I have previously raised the issue of erroneous information relating to the Hondo Tower application on the GLA planning webpage in my question 2021/0038, and in my letter to you dated 2 March 2021. What are you doing to ensure that the correct details on applications are posted in a timely manner?

The Mayor: We are undertaking a number of actions to ensure the quality of information that is published on the planning section of London.gov webpages as well as expedite the process, and have already made a number of improvements.
For called-in applications, documents are now published on a separate webpage, so that they are easily identifiable and accessible by Londoners who want to review the documentation. We now receive all documents through an online submission system, reducing any delays in indexing the documents and ensuring they are all ready for publication before any consultations take place. And we are putting in place an enhanced process for review and sign off before the start of consultations to reduce the risk of potential errors.

Borough Night Time Strategies (3)

Siân Berry: The Late Night Transport Working Group that was set up in response to recommendations in the Night Time Strategy has not met since its first two meetings in September and November 2019, although a meeting was scheduled for 8 January 2020. What has happened to this group and the suggestions that it consider extending night services, introducing a ‘Night Rider’ fare that allows workers to move between bus, tube, train, DLR or tram in a single fare, and encourage more use of Transport for London (TfL) land and buildings at night?

The Mayor: The Late Night Transport Working Group that was set up in response to recommendations in the Night Time Strategy has not met since its first two meetings in September and November 2019, although a meeting was scheduled for 8 January 2020. What has happened to this group and the suggestions that it consider extending night services, introducing a ‘Night Rider’ fare that allows workers to move between bus, tube, train, DLR or tram in a single fare, and encourage more use of Transport for London (TfL) land and buildings at night?
The Late Night Transport Working Group last met 8 January 2020 and on 11 March 2020 and the minutes for these meetings are available here. https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/arts-and-culture/24-hour-london/late-night-transport-working-group

The work of the group was paused due to the immediate pressures of the pandemic which saw TfL’s ridership halved and income fall. My officers will revisit the group's work, including the encouragement of more use of Transport for London land and buildings at night, as we consider London's post-pandemic travel patterns and the group's previous conclusions.
In my response to the recommendations of the Night Time Commission in June 2019, I said that my Hopper Far has already impacted millions of customers and helped them to save money, no matter what time of day. Off peak fares already apply across TfL’s network between 7pm and 6.30am, and I confirmed that Transport for London would therefore not be considering a ‘Night Rider’ fare.

Road Collision Investigation Branch

Elly Baker: Please publish your submission to the consultation on “Creating a Road Collision Investigation Branch (RCIB)”.

The Mayor: I understand that Transport for London’s (TfL’s) response to the consultation will be published by the Department for Transport on its website in due course, alongside other submissions. This is the usual means by which its responses to Government consultations are made public and allows them to be seen in the context of the other responses received by Government. However, in the interests of speed and transparency, I have asked TfL to share a copy of the response with you directly in advance of the Government’s publication.

Motorcycle Training

Elly Baker: Compulsory basic training is a course you usually have to take before you ride a moped or motorcycle on the road. Do you believe this level of training is enough in London? If not, what discussions have you had with Government about improvement to the training regime?

The Mayor: Motorcycles with engines under 125cc require the lowest minimum standard of training of any motorised vehicle on the road. I do not believe the Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) is sufficient to equip riders for the risks and challenges of driving vehicles capable of up to 80mph in a complex urban environment whilst keeping both the rider and other road users safe. Transport for London (TfL) offers a range of enhanced training opportunities for motorcyclists, but these are voluntary and do not reach all users.
In line with TfL’s commitment in the Vision Zero Action Plan progress report, it has met with the Department for Transport to identify potential improvements to the CBT course and this constructive dialogue is ongoing. Government has previously consulted on improvements, as set out in the Improving Moped and Motorcycle training consultation of 2016/17, and I hope to see some of those progressive proposals adopted nationally.

PFI contracts

Caroline Pidgeon: For each year since 2018 how much was spent on PFI contracts across the GLA, broken down by functional body?

The Mayor: The spend on PFI contracts is calculated as the sum of the contractual amounts payable under the PFI arrangements plus contingent rent, as reported within each Functional Body’s (FB’s) annual statement of accounts.
Only Transport for London, the London Fire Commissioner and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime utilise PFI contracts across the GLA Group.
The total reported gross spend on PFI contracts for these FB’s is as follows:
TfL
LFC*
MOPAC/MPS
Total cost
Total cost
Total cost
£'000
£'000
£'000
2017-18
175,900
5,543
29,475
2018-19
153,600
5,600
30,075
2019-20
143,900
5,639
30,608
2020-21
71,900
5,685
31,098
* The LFC total gross costs above are offset by an annual £3,732k PFI grant from the Home Office.

Idling Buses (3)

Neil Garratt: What more is being done to reduce bus idling, either through drivers manually turning engines off or technology to stop-start bus engines automatically?

The Mayor: Drivers are directed to switch off the engine as soon as they can if they are not continuing in service. Bus operators encourage this with training and depot posters and understand its importance in both minimising the impact of their vehicles on the community and the environment, and in avoiding wasting fuel. This advice is reinforced in the ‘Big Red Book’ manual that Transport for London (TfL) issues to all its bus drivers.
London is using the latest technologies to eliminate idling as much as possible. More recent diesel buses have ‘start – stop’ technology that, like modern cars, switches the engine off when it is stationary. Hybrid buses only have the engine on when it is needed to support the battery. London’s current fleet of over 600 zero-emission buses produce no tailpipe emissions. All diesel buses in the core fleet have now been lifted to the ultra-clean Euro VI engine standard, which cuts the most harmful pollutants like particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen by up to 80 and 90 per cent respectively. TfL and I are working towards making the entire London bus fleet zero emission by 2034, and we can bring this forward to 2030 with Government support.

Victims of Road Collisions

Elly Baker: What discussions, if any, are you having with the Government regarding the creation of, and funding for, a National Road Victim Support Service?

The Mayor: It is very clear that road risk and road collisions result in a huge cost of human misery to people in London and the rest of the country. Support for victims is critical to enabling people and their families to cope with this experience. Transport for London (TfL) and I have met with people affected and their representative groups to discuss the needs of victims in London and I am very clear that there is scope for improvement, ideally through a national scheme that can provide consistently high-quality support to people regardless of where collisions take place.
I know that Government is also aware of the case for improvement and is considering options and opportunities to provide better support for victims. As part of this, DfT officials are in continuing dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders, including TfL, to inform their understanding of victims’ needs and how improved support might be delivered.

Markaz in Golders Green

Anne Clarke: Given your plans to improve social integration in London, do you share my anger and frustration with the years of delays forced upon the Markaz, an Iraqi refugee group, who sought to set up a community centre in the former BBC Hippodrome in Golders Green. Barnet Council failed to approve a simple planning application to change the class of the building from “church” to “place of worship”? These costly delays have made the Markaz feel unwelcome in Barnet, where they have been victim of a campaign of racism. Do you agree that this is unacceptable?

The Mayor: London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, a place where everyone is welcome. This diversity is essential to the success of London’s communities and neighbourhoods and to maintain this, our city must remain open, inclusive and allow everyone to share and contribute to London’s success.
In relation to the specific planning application - I do not know the particulars of the case and do not have any powers to intervene or comment on any applications that are not referable to me. The responsibility is with Barnet Council as the local planning authority. It is clearly regrettable if the organisation has been made to feel unwelcome and any campaigns of racism are absolutely unacceptable, and I deplore them all.

Waking Watches and London’s Boroughs

Anne Clarke: Please provide a borough-by-borough breakdown of the number of buildings operating waking watches in London. Please also breakdown the numbers for buildings over 18m and under 18m in each borough.

The Mayor: London Fire Brigade (LFB) collects data for buildings with a temporary suspension of ‘stay put’ where an interim simultaneous evacuation strategy has been put in place. This includes, but is not limited to, waking watches, which the National Fire Chiefs Council guidance defines as a system where ‘suitably trained persons continually patrol all floors and the exterior perimeter of the building in order to detect a fire, raise the alarm, and carry out the role of evacuation management’.Residential buildings with an interim simultaneous evacuation strategy in place could have personnel on site or a remote monitoring system, but this is determined by the Responsible Person with guidancefroma competent fire safety professional.
The figures can changeon a daily basiswhen interim measures are required, or a building is remediated and no longer requires the interim measures. The number of buildings where an interim simultaneous evacuation strategy has been put in place, asof14 January 2022, are presented by borough and by height in the table below.
Local Authority
Total blocks
Over 18 metres
Under 18 metres
Barking and Dagenham
24
17
7
Barnet
21
16
5
Bexley
3
3
0
Brent
54
37
17
Bromley
4
3
1
Camden
38
32
6
City of London
7
7
0
Croydon
40
22
18
Ealing
20
13
7
Enfield
4
2
2
Greenwich
75
65
10
Hackney
97
76
21
Hammersmith and Fulham
15
13
2
Haringey
16
10
6
Harrow
4
3
1
Havering
8
8
0
Hillingdon
16
9
7
Hounslow
24
18
6
Islington
62
37
25
Kensington and Chelsea
28
17
11
Kingston upon Thames
4
4
0
Lambeth
62
44
18
Lewisham
60
40
20
Merton
29
3
26
Newham
69
65
4
Redbridge
13
11
2
Richmond
1
1
0
Southwark
77
55
22
Sutton
6
6
0
Tower Hamlets
174
160
14
Waltham Forest
20
20
0
Wandsworth
34
30
4
Westminster
40
38
2
Total
1149
885
264

Traffic Offence Reports for powered two-wheelers for running red lights

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the number of Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) issued to powered two-wheeler riders for running red lights in London in 2021, broken down per month.

The Mayor: Traffic Offence Reports contain the make and model of the vehicle involved but not the type of transport. It would therefore be impossible to ascertain what type of vehicle is involved without scrutinising all Traffic Offence Reports.

Working days lost to sickness (3)

Anne Clarke: According to the Corporate Performance Digest, the LFB have not met their 4.7% target for “working days lost to sickness – Control staff” since November 2013. Are you able to explain why 4.7% is the target and whether it has been reviewed to see if it is appropriate?

The Mayor: Please see the response to MQ2021/5038.

Seized powered two-wheeler vehicles

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the number of powered two-wheeler vehicles seized in London in 2021, broken down per month.

The Mayor: 0293_Seized powered two-wheeler vehicles (1).xlsx

Traffic Offence Reports for powered two-wheelers for mobile phone use

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the number of Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) issued to powered two-wheeler riders for (a) hands free and (b) handheld mobile phone use in London in 2021, broken down per month.

The Mayor: Traffic Offence Reports contain the make and model of the vehicle involved but not the type of transport. It would therefore be impossible to ascertain the information requested without scrutinising all Traffic Offence Reports.

Silvertown Tunnel (4)

Caroline Pidgeon: Will the proposed construction work on the Silvertown Tunnel comply with the Considerate Constructors Scheme?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) and its contractor, Riverlinx, are committed to ensuring the impact of the construction of the Silvertown Tunnel on local communities is minimised. They have made a number of specific commitments in this respect, and these are set out in the Silvertown Tunnel Code of Construction Practice (CoCP) which is available here. This includes the provision of a 24/7 helpline for reporting any issues the local community may have with construction.
The commitments in the CoCP go above and beyond the requirements of the Considerate Constructors Scheme. That said, TfL has now ensured that Riverlinx is registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme and the first audits will take place later this month

Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling LPG (2)

Sakina Sheikh: How will your Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling London Plan Guidance help new developments to protect and enhance cycling infrastructure?

The Mayor: Section 3 of the draft Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling LPG focuses on infrastructure for cycling. The LPG provides guidance on how London Plan Policy T3 should be implemented for new developments, setting out a range of recommendations to help protect and enhance cycling infrastructure. This includes increasing permeability for cyclists; providing sufficient space for cycle access to and around sites, enabling and contributing to a network of safe cycle routes; improving and providing additional cycling infrastructure, facilities and parking; mitigating the impact on existing cycling routes during construction; and supporting the expansion of the Cycle Hire network.
Officers are currently analysing responses from public engagement on this document which took place in 2021. This analysis will inform the final version of the document.

Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling LPG (3)

Sakina Sheikh: How will your Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling London Plan Guidance help new developments to protect and enhance bus infrastructure?

The Mayor: The draft Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling London Plan Guidance (LPG) expands upon Policy T3 of the London Plan, which sets out the approach to safeguarding land that supports London’s bus network and which recognises the vital role the bus network has to play in the sustainable development of London.
The draft LPG provides guidance for development proposals and seeks to ensure that they do not harm or make unviable the current operation or future enhancement of the bus network. The LPG advises that development proposals should not result in the loss – or reduce the capacity - of a bus garage, bus stations or passenger interchanges, or bus stops, standing or driver facilities, unless suitable alternative provision is formally agreed with TfL. The guidance also requires development proposals to be supported by appropriate provision of bus connections, stops and facilities.
Officers are currently analysing responses to public engagement which took place last year, and which will inform the final version of the guidance.

Street Votes

Sakina Sheikh: Would you encourage the introduction of Street Votes in London? This would allow communities to control the density of buildings on their street and hand power over to communities.

The Mayor: In line with my Good Growth objective to build strong and inclusive communities, I welcome the growing narrative about the importance of the community voice in planning and I support innovative approaches to facilitate this.
Street votes could be most likely to enable extensions, and while I support enabling Londoners to improve their homes and create more space for their changing needs, it is clearly also important to deliver additional homes, so further clarification is required.
Clarifications are also needed about how the process would work, including the relationship with permitted development rights, the work needed from local communities to deliver street votes, how it would be ensured that they are not used to block more ambitious appropriate development and how conflict might be managed to prevent divides within local communities.
It would be helpful to see the promotion and use of existing mechanisms such as neighbourhood planning and design codes embedded in the process. The rights and protections of tenants also need to be carefully considered.

Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling LPG (1)

Sakina Sheikh: How will your Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling London Plan Guidance help new developments to protect and enhance walking infrastructure?

The Mayor: My London Plan 2021 will be monitored against a set of key performance indicators. The Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling London Plan Guidance (LPG) has been developed to support planning authorities and applicants in meeting the requirements of Policy T3 of the London Plan. Section two of the draft LPG gives guidance as to how new development can protect and enhance walking infrastructure, for example by directly delivering safe and attractive environments and sufficient on-site space for walking, enabling improvements to the surrounding public realm, reducing walking distances to public transport, adopting layouts that increase permeability, and ensuring existing walking infrastructure is retained, including during construction.
Public engagement on this document took place in 2021 and officers are now analysing responses, which will inform the final version of this document. When finalised, this document will help ensure walking routes are protected and further enhanced throughout the city.

Working days lost to sickness (2)

Anne Clarke: According to the Corporate Performance Digest, the LFB have not met their 2.48% target for “working days lost to sickness – FRS staff” since November 2013. Are you able to explain why 2.48% is the target and whether it has been reviewed to see if it is appropriate?

The Mayor: Please see the response to MQ2021/5037.

Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling LPG (4)

Sakina Sheikh: How will your Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling London Plan Guidance help new developments to protect and enhance train and tram infrastructure?

The Mayor: This guidance has been developed to support planning authorities and applicants in meeting the requirements of Policy T3 of the London Plan (2021). The guidance advises boroughs to safeguard land for future strategically important transport schemes to support growth and to work with TfL as the details of these schemes are further developed, including on the planning obligations that may be necessary to mitigate impacts by enabling these improvements. These include, for example, rail upgrades and extensions, station capacity upgrades, and additional space requirements at rail depots. The LPG also provides guidance in relation to existing train and tram infrastructure, to protect operational land and ensure that development proposals nearby do not have a detrimental impact on capacity, access, operations and other requirements and that any impacts are mitigated, and benefits maximised, through good design.
Officers are currently analysing responses to public engagement which took place in 2021, which will further inform the final version of the guidance.

Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling LPG (5)

Sakina Sheikh: How will your Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling London Plan Guidance help to ensure car parking space is utilised in the best possible way?

The Mayor: Section 6 of the Sustainable Transport, Walking and Cycling LPG provides guidance on the approach to car parks and other surplus transport land in Policy T3 of the London Plan.
The LPG recognises that land currently in use for car parking may offer the potential for re-development and recommends that boroughs’ development plans incentivise mode shift and identify opportunities, where appropriate, to re-purpose car-based infrastructure. This includes the redevelopment of car parks suitable for development, particularly where these have good access to public transport connections. The approach in the LPG builds on the Good Growth principles set out in the London Plan, particularly those that seek to optimise the use of land, prioritising sites that are well-connected by public transport, help deliver a zero carbon London, and support the strategic target in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy of 80 per cent of all journeys using sustainable travel.
Officers are currently analysing responses to public engagement which took place in 2021, which will inform the final version of the guidance.

Traffic Offence Reports for powered two wheelers for drug and drink driving

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the number of Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) issued to powered two-wheeler riders for drug and drink driving offences in London in 2021, broken down per month.

The Mayor: Traffic Offence Reports contain the make and model of the vehicle involved but not the type of transport. It would therefore be impossible to ascertain the information requested without scrutinising all Traffic Offence Reports.

School Superzones Targets

Emma Best: In June you advised that over the coming months your team would work with boroughs to develop a range of options for supporting boroughs, schools and communities to implement the School Superzones approach more widely, and would develop targets at this point. With over six months having passed could you now advise what those targets are?

The Mayor: I committed to an expanded role for School Superzones in my 2021 manifesto and this programme is now a flagship initiative in both the Healthy Place, Healthy Weight recovery mission and the new Health Inequalities Strategy Implementation Plan.
My ambition is to establish up to 50 School Superzones between 2022 and 2024, supported by £1.8million in funding from the GLA. This March will see the rollout of the programme, starting with 10 boroughs that piloted Superzones, either developing existing zones further or creating new ones.
We’ve also set targets to develop 17 new School Superzones in 2022/2023, and a further 23 in 2023/24. To facilitate this, we will make funding available to all boroughs from this summer, with a keen focus on London’s most deprived areas.
The learnings from the pilots, which have been captured as case studies, have been compiled into a brochure with a view to inspire other areas to take part.​[1]An independent evaluation of the programme is also set to take place.
[1] London.gov.uk, School Superzones, 29 September 2021

Social Care Agencies Good Work Standard

Emma Best: What are you proactively doing to get more social care agencies to sign up to the Good Work Standard?

The Mayor: Too many social care workers experience poor working conditions. I call on all social care employers to review where they can improve their employment practices and pursue Good Work Standard accreditation.
Fair pay is at the heart of the Good Work Standard but remains a barrier in some sectors. 25-30% of social care jobs in London pay below the London Living Wage rate.
The number of Living Wage accredited employers has more than quadrupled since I was elected in 2016. I have always encouraged London employers, including social care agencies, to pay their staff at least the London Living Wage. This is the first step to Good Work Standard accreditation.
Social care is a priority of the London as a Living Wage City programme. We are seeking to understand pay and good work more broadly in the social care sector, so that actions can be taken to improve employment practices.

Working days lost to sickness (4)

Anne Clarke: Please breakdown the figures in the Corporate performance digest for a) “working days lost to sickness - operational staff”; b) “working days lost to sickness – FRS staff”; c) “working days lost to sickness – Control staff”; into short term and long term sickness. Please provide the monthly data going back to April 2013.

The Mayor: Please see the response to MQ2021/0539.

Pope’s Road/Hondo Tower Consultation

Sakina Sheikh: It is welcome to see an additional consultation with residents following the calling in of this scheme. What was the reason for calling it in and does this set a precedent that you will consult with the community after you call in a planning application?

The Mayor: Given the strategic nature and impacts of the proposal and in light of the fact that the competing considerations to which the application gives rise are finely balanced, I decided that the application warranted my closer scrutiny before determination. I therefore decided that I should exercise my powers to become Local Planning Authority. When I call in a planning application I always carry out consultation, and am legally bound to do so.

Virtual Sessions to Encourage Vaccine Uptake

Onkar Sahota: Since you announced a series of virtual events to encourage the uptake of the vaccine and booster jab amongst hesitant Londoners, how many have taken place and roughly how many people have been reached?

The Mayor: Working with community partners, we have held three Big Conversation online webinars, chaired by my Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard. In December we held an event for Muslim Londoners, working with Muslim Council of Britain and British Islamic Medical Association, and an event for Black Londoners, working with the The Ubele Initiative. On January 11th we held an event for all Londoners with Professor Kevin Fenton.
The virtual events were attended by over 300 Londoners, and in addition wider communication about the importance of vaccines has been achieved through media, including in: Jewish News, Jewish Chronicle, The Voice, Eastern Eye, Asian Voice, Alt Africa, Ben TV, and promotion with Gal Dem.
There are currently further virtual events being planned for January and February, working with a range of community partners.

Testing Shortages in London

Onkar Sahota: With the shortages in lateral flow tests in London, will you discuss the potential solution of the Government also making saliva-based tests freely available to members of the public with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) London?

The Mayor: I have raised the issue of the supply of lateral flow tests at my regular meetings with the NHS, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). I have been reassured that lateral flow testing capacity continues to increase, with more supplies available both through pharmacies and home deliveries: daily home delivery test capacity is now at 7 million. I understand UKHSA is currently evaluating the performance of lateral flow devices (LFDs) which use a saliva specimen, to understand if their real-world performance is equivalent to the LFDs that use nasal swabs. Their initial analysis from 2020 indicated some challenges with saliva specimens, and they are currently trying to determine if these can be overcome. An evaluation report is expected in February 2022. If the results are successful, they will re-commence validating saliva tests and consider deploying them into the mass testing programme.

Armed Policing Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment

Susan Hall: Please can you provide a copy of the Met’s Armed Policing Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment document for 2020/21?

The Mayor: Every police service must complete an annual Strategic Threat and Risk Assessments (STRA) for specific areas of policing. The Metropolitan Police Armed Policing STRA is completed for every department that has an armed capability. The document gives the strategic justification for the continued requirement to have armed police officers in London, based on the current intelligence picture against anticipated demand and necessary contingencies. This justification includes armed deployments under a Standing Authority or as Specific Authority dependent on the role profile of the officers deployed. The document cannot be shared as it contains information that is operationally and/or commercially sensitive.

COVID-19 Symptoms List

Onkar Sahota: Have you had any further conversations with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) London about the need for the Government to update the symptoms list in the wake of the rise of Omicron variant?

The Mayor: I am in regular contact with UKHSA about the evolving COVID-19 situation in London. Any change to the list of formally agreed COVID-19 symptoms would be a joint decision made by the Chief Medical Officers of the Four Nations.
Whilst there are several other symptoms that have been linked with COVID-19, these symptoms may have another cause and are not on their own a reason to have a test for COVID-19.
People not displaying one of the three main COVID-19 symptoms should use lateral flow devices to test regularly, particularly before having close contact with others or spending time in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces. This is important as we know that 1 in 3 people may show no symptoms.
Anyone who is concerned about any symptoms they are experiencing should be encouraged to seek medical advice.

Metropolitan Police Service training on illegal evictions

Siân Berry: Could you tell me: a) What training Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers and staff have received around illegal evictions, b) how many people from the MPS have been trained and when, and c) what data is collected in connection with such evictions?

The Mayor: As part of their initial training police recruits are taken through the provisions of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 so that they can identify when an eviction or proposed eviction may be unlawful. They also receive training on what actions to consider when attending landlord/tenant disputes and are given instruction on what mechanisms are in place to report rogue landlords and their agents.
Officers must verify that there is valid court order in existence and confirm the identity of bailiffs in attendance. Once these credentials have been established, officers are reminded that their role in assisting is limited to prevention of a breach of the peace or other criminal activity. This learning is further reinforced through a mandatory e-learning package.
Since January 2021, 2,207 new officers have received the training described above.
There have been 20 criminal allegations recorded on the Crime Reporting Information System (CRIS) regarding illegal evictions in the last 2 years.

Housing support for single parents in London

Siân Berry: Could you tell me: a) what data you collect across London on single parents and housing, b) what, if any, plans you have to improve the quality and range of data, and c) what support you offer single parents with regard to housing?

The Mayor: Officers analyse data relating to single parents from a range of sources including CORE data on lettings and sales, official surveys such as the English Housing Survey and DLUHC homelessness statistics.
The available data makes it clear that single parents face a range of challenges in securing and sustaining accommodation in London. This is primarily because they are disproportionately likely to need benefits (including to help cover their rent) and to experience poverty, homelessness and fuel poverty.
Single parents therefore stand to benefit from my work to tackle London's housing crisis – including using my planning powers and investment programmes to deliver much-needed social and other genuinely affordable housing and using the powers available to me to improve the quality and security of the private rented sector. They would also benefit from the government heeding my call to ensure that welfare benefits are sufficient to cover London’s private sector rents.

Infrastructure Levy

Sakina Sheikh: What pressure have you applied on the Government recently to row back on its plans to scrap Section 106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy to replace it with a fixed Infrastructure Levy?

The Mayor: I am extremely concerned that the proposed Infrastructure Levy would be both more complex and less effective than current approaches to securing affordable housing and infrastructure through the planning process. It would result in greater uncertainty for councils, developers and communities, and put development and the future of mixed communities at risk.
My Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe CBE, has written jointly with a range of public and private sector organisations to the Secretary of State to highlight a number of issues with the Levy. I have also raised this issue directly with the Secretary of State, and my officers have set out concerns and potential alternatives and mitigations in their meetings with DLUHC officers.
My team will continue to make the case to government that retaining and improving the existing system would be much more effective. This could be achieved through a wider application in other parts of the country of the ‘Threshold Approach’ in my London Plan which has given certainty to the market, sped up the planning process and increased affordable housing delivery. This would be the best way to deliver high quality affordable housing and the infrastructure needed to underpin it in London and across the country.

Data on accessible housing for disabled Londoners (2)

Siân Berry: Could you provide me with summary data on the accessibility of new homes built since 2016, including those funded by the GLA and conforming to the ‘accessible and adaptable’ standard, as well as wheelchair accessible, and specialist housing? Could you include any data you have that monitors the number of these accessible homes then occupied by disabled people?

The Mayor: The link below is to the published data on housing that meets M4(2) and M4(3) compliance through the planning system. Currently over 96% of all new homes built in London meet the M4(2) standard for accessible and adaptable dwellings.
https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/residential-approvals-of-accessible-dwellings
It is not currently possible to identify specific information on those funded by the GLA. While government data shows the proportion of wheelchair accessible affordable homes that are occupied by households with disabilities, it does not distinguish between affordable homes that were built with GLA funding and those that were not.

Future of transport regulatory review

Elly Baker: Please publish your submission to the consultation on “Future of transport regulatory review: modernising vehicle standards”.

The Mayor: I understand that Transport for London’s (TfL’s) response to the consultation will be published by the Department for Transport on its website in due course, alongside other submissions. This is the usual means by which its responses to Government consultations are made public and allows them to be seen in the context of the other responses received by Government. However, in the interests of speed and transparency, I have asked TfL to share a copy of the response with you directly in advance of the Government’s publication.

20mph pilot scheme

Elly Baker: It is reported that Cuxham, a village in South Oxfordshire, has become the first pilot site for a scheme to change 30mph roads to 20mph across the country. Can you provide me with details on what discussions, if any, you have had with Government about running a 20mph pilot in London; and whether the Government is likely to support such a pilot?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is having exploratory conversations with the Department for Transport (DfT) on whether London could be a pilot area for a 20mph default speed limit. Engaging with the DfT on this was an action in our recently published Vision Zero action plan progress report. TfL is currently considering questions raised by the DfT. I understand that DfT officers are also looking closely at the results of trials in Wales and Scotland as they change roads to a default 20mph.

Digital National Speed Limit Map

Elly Baker: What discussions, if any, have you had with the Government regarding a national digital speed limit map, that mirrors the one in London?

The Mayor: London’s own Digital speed limit map https://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-digital-speed-limit-map.pdf benefits London. Similarly, the Ordnance Survey has its own speed limit dataset. Transport for London (TfL) made clear in its Vision Zero Action Plan that a national digital speed limit map would benefit the whole of the UK.
While there are no live discussions on this issue, TfL has responded to the Government’s consultation on vehicle standards and regulations (“Future of transport regulatory review: modernising vehicle standards”) to stress the importance of including Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technologies in future British regulatory standards, and will continue to make the case for map-based ISA to the Government.

Quarter of over-50s less active than pre-pandemic (1)

Caroline Russell: A new report by The Physiological Society and Centre for Ageing Better revealed that more than a quarter of people aged over 50 are less active than before the coronavirus pandemic, and this is particularly acute in the over-75s. Given your target in your Health Inequalities Strategy which states that: “by 2041, all Londoners will do at least the twenty minutes of active travel each day (e.g. walking, cycling) that they need to stay healthy, with efforts focused on supporting the most inactive,” what extra work are you doing to enable older Londoners to be physically active?

The Mayor: As outlined in my Transport Strategy, taking the Healthy Streets Approach and improving the accessibility of public transport services, will particularly benefit older adults, as they are more likely to face barriers to active travel options.
I have also asked TfL to work closely with the NHS in London to encourage more people to build healthier and more active travel options into their daily lives. We know that active travel is the most popular and accessible way to build physical activity into people’s everyday routines. Since older adults engage more regularly with healthcare services than the general population, these interactions create an excellent opportunity to encourage active travel in a group who can significantly benefit from becoming more physically active.
I am also supporting projects to increase physical activity in older Londoners through my Active Londoners Fund. Please see Mayor’s Question 2022/0032.

Eating disorders in London (6)

Caroline Russell: A constituent has raised that caregivers of those suffering from eating disorders are increasingly reporting that feeding through nasogastric tubes at home is being written into care plans for their loved ones, causing acute distress and trauma involved with refeeding in eating disorders. What are you doing to lobby for effective treatment of eating disorders and to ensure carers can access the right support in London?

The Mayor: Although it’s not my role to inform treatment approaches, I continue to meet regularly with NHS leaders to champion and challenge them to provide the high-quality care Londoners deserve.
Eating disorder teams for young people in London have been working on developing capacity in their intensive community programmes to provide support to young people and families around feeding.
Healthy London Partnership, Beat, and NHS providers are also working together to provide additional support for parents and carers in London. This is being delivered by providing free access to Beat’s Nexus and Solace support programmes. Beat have also launched POD, an online e-learning platform for parents and carers which is available free from their website. These free programmes provide parents and carers with advice, information, resources and peer support.

Quarter of over-50s less active than pre-pandemic (2)

Caroline Russell: A new report by The Physiological Society and Centre for Ageing Better recommends a National Post-Pandemic Resilience Programme to not only return over-50s to their pre-pandemic physical activity levels, but encourage greater long-term levels of activity. Their recommendations include: “a programme of physical activity to increase physical resilience, focusing on older people with high-risk factors such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and sarcopenia.” How will you support these aims in London?

The Mayor: My Active Londoners Fund supports initiatives that use sport and other kinds of physical activity to improve the physical and mental health of Londoners and help the most inactive people become more active.
From 2019 to 2021 we awarded £395,501 in funding through small and medium grants to support projects tackling inactivity in older Londoners. This includes older people with underlying risk factors, people who were considered clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19, people with arthritis, people with dementia and their carers, and older people who are isolated.
I am also supporting these aims by taking the Healthy Streets Approach and improving accessibility of public transport services, so that by 2041,all Londoners will achieve the minimum recommended requirement of 20 minutes of active travel each day that is needed to stay healthy (referred to as the Active People target). Please see Mayor’s Question 2022/0031.

National Road Safety Framework

Elly Baker: What discussions, if any, are you having with the Government on their refresh of the 2011 National Road Safety Framework, particularly around improving road safety education?

The Mayor: I understand that the Department for Transport (DfT) is working to refresh its road safety framework. Transport for London (TfL) is meeting with the DfT on key areas of focus as set out in the Vision Zero Action Plan, including improving the minimum standard of training for people riding motorcycles, the proposal to pilot a default 20mph limit across London, improving support for victims of road collisions, and the improvement of vehicle standards. I hope this will be an ongoing and constructive partnership.

Illicit Tobacco

Onkar Sahota: Ealing Trading Standards have prosecuted a shopkeeper for selling illicit tobacco. As Mayor, what powers do you have to support the public health message that there are serious consequences to health from illicit tobacco, as these products do not comply with UK safety and consumer regulations?

The Mayor: The sale of illicit tobacco has serious public health consequences, because it undermines the efforts to reduce the impact of smoking - which remains one of the leading causes for London’s vast health inequalities. As well as this, illicit tobacco is non-compliant with UK safety and consumer regulations.
As a signatory to the Health and Care Vision for London, built on the London Devolution Prevention MOU in 2017, I remain committed to tackling illegal tobacco.
Further, my new Implementation Plan for London’s Health Inequality Strategy aims to reduce the use of, and harms caused by, tobacco. Within that, I have committed to convene a workshop with partners to relaunch London’s Tobacco Control Alliance, which aims to integrate and amplify the work of local authority, health and voluntary sector organisations. A key work strand for the Alliance will be to tackle illegal tobacco at a regional level.

Blue Light Collaboration During the Pandemic (1)

Onkar Sahota: Can you provide an update on the latest numbers of firefighters deployed by the London Fire Brigade to assist the London Ambulance Service and drive ambulances?

The Mayor: Operation Braidwood - which saw firefighters driving ambulances to assist the London Ambulance Service and responding to Covid-19 deaths in the community - was one of the most significant blue light collaboration projects London has ever seen. From April 2020 until December 2021 around 500London firefighters volunteered to drive ambulances to support the London Ambulance Service and firefighters responded to 165,000 incidents whilst driving ambulances.
The Brigade is not currently seconding firefighters to the Ambulance Service as the arrangement came to an end on 2nd December and therefore had no bearing on staffing capacity in December. The Brigade continues to discuss with LAS colleagues what support it can offer and I also discuss this in my meetings with the London Fire Commissioner.

Small Business Saturday

Onkar Sahota: You supported Small Business Saturday on 4th December. Last year, an estimated £1.1 billion was spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday. How important is Small Business Saturday in supporting London’s high streets and small businesses?

The Mayor: Small Business Saturday presents an annual opportunity to raise awareness and show support for the small business owners whose dedication and hard work makes shopping in central London, our high streets and local parades so special.
I have always been an advocate of Small Business Saturday. Our small businesses are the lifeblood of the London economy and supporting them now is more important than ever, as our retail and hospitality businesses struggle to recover from the challenges of the pandemic.
This December, as you note, I called on Londoners to share a ‘big thank you’ with small firms to recognise their vital role throughout the covid pandemic; and this was promoted on social media.I also announced a funding package of £2m to support high street recovery via my High Streets for All Challenge.

Business and Public Health Messaging

Susan Hall: How are you ensuring you deliver clear messaging when it comes to supporting London's businesses and public health?

The Mayor: Over the course of the pandemic, I have worked with key London partners such as the NHS and London councils to deliver important and clear public information campaigns. These campaigns communicate how Londoners can best protect themselves from Covid-19 and encourage vaccine uptake amongst unvaccinated groups. As well as using traditional channels, we have worked with community organisations to translate communication materials to ensure we are reaching all London communities with clear public health guidance. For example, we worked with Doctors of the World to produce translated materials to reach hesitant communities who don’t have English as a first language. With our support, Doctors of the World translated Covid-19 health materials into over 60 languages, and our social media campaign reached over 1.1m Londoners in August 2020 with translated messages, delivering clear guidance on how Londoners could protect themselves and others from the virus.
Through the London Business Hub website, I have set up a Covid-19 Hub which provides guidance for small businesses navigating best practice for working safely.  The Hub is updated regularly in line with government announcements and reinforces messaging around Plan B measures, the booster programme and workplace wellbeing given the physical and mental health challenges associated with the pandemic. This information has been shared via the London Business Hub’s social channels and monthly newsletter which goes out to 9,000 subscribers as well as our LDN_Economy Twitter channel.

Cancelled Leave

Susan Hall: For each year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 how many hours of Met police leave were cancelled?

The Mayor: Currently there is no mechanism that enables the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to calculate cancelled Annual Leave in this way.
It is rare that officers’ booked Annual Leave is cancelled. Rest days are, however, rescheduled as permitted by Police Regulations, subject to exigencies of duty. This allows the MPS to fulfil operational duties and is an established mechanism by which police forces manage their resources.

Let's Do London Christmas

Shaun Bailey: What targets were set for the Let's Do London campaign over the Christmas period and were they met?

The Mayor: The Omicron variant meant December, usually one of the most profitable months for hospitality and retail businesses, was a hugely difficult time for businesses across London. Through my Let’s Do London campaign I supported culture, retail and hospitality businesses safely through this period.
The objectives of the Winter Lights season of my Let’s Do London campaign were to signal confidence, drive footfall and increase spend in the Central Activities Zone. The Winter Lights season included safe, outdoor events across the city which thousands of visitors and Londoners were able to enjoy, from the Southbank and West End to the Ever After Garden at Grosvenor Square.
As the centre piece of the season, I commissioned Borealis, a mesmerising recreation of the northern lights to support a return in visitors to the City of London over this vital period. Over 30,000 people attended. Data shows 51 per cent of respondents who booked a ticket feel more confident visiting the city during the pandemic after having attended Borealis, and 47 per cent of respondents supported local businesses by going to a café/restaurant before or after going to Borealis, with respondents spending an average of £46 during their visit.

Police Overtime

Susan Hall: For each year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 how many hours of Met police overtime was used and what is the cost?

The Mayor: The total cost of police officer overtime is set out in the table below.
2015/16
£101,355,481
2016/17
£92,498,844
2017/18
£107,257,807
2018/19
£112,128,489
2019/20
£141,406,082
2020/21
£143,627,889
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is unable to ascertain the details of the hours from these figures. This is due to the complexities of Police regulations and how the circumstances, such as notice periods, will affect the rate of pay.

Attacks on the police

Susan Hall: For each year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 how many attacks were committed against Met police officers, broken down by offence type.

The Mayor: Please see the attached table for the number of attacks on police officers from 2015 – 2021.
Note the Assault on Emergency Worker Act came into force on 13 November 2018 which resulted in significant recategorisation, notably the change from Assault on Constable to Assault by beating of a Constable in 2018/19.

The Mayor: 0205_Attacks on the police.xlsx

Rebuilding Trust plan dip sampling

Caroline Russell: How many cases where sexual misconduct and domestic abuse allegations have been made and those accused remain in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have been dip sampled so far as part of the progress into the Rebuilding Trust plan?

The Mayor: As part of its Rebuilding Trust Strategy the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has begun the urgent review of all current investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct and domestic abuse against officers and staff to make certain that those who made the allegations are being properly supported and the investigations are comprehensive.
This also encompasses a dip sample of cases from the last 10 years where sexual misconduct and domestic abuse allegations have been made and those accused remain in the MPS, to ensure that appropriate management measures (including vetting reviews) have been taken.
Both are occurring concurrently and include a thorough review of the vetting history of those under investigation to provide assurance that internal processes are working effectively.
These reviews are on-track for scheduled completion by February 2022, alongside an insight report to capture any identified organisational learning.

Eating disorders in London (4)

Caroline Russell: How is Thrive LDN, which is supported by you and the London Health Board, working with schools to ensure that constructive messaging is being shared about eating disorders?

The Mayor: Thrive LDN continue to work with my Children and Young Londoners Team and wider partners including Healthy London Partnership (HLP) to share messaging and resources with schools.
Guidelines with advice for educational professionals about spotting the signs of eating disorders, and when to refer children and young people to specialist support have been shared with schools across London. These were developed in partnership between HLP and eating disorder charity Beat.
Thrive LDN’s research and community insights has highlighted an increased demand for specialist services and more complex cases, including young people with eating disorders. These insights inform the priorities of our partners, who are doing vital work to support schools and those working with young people on this issue.
Through Thrive LDN, I am ensuring that London’s Youth Mental Health First Aiders are offered further training around eating disorders and other conditions over the coming months.

Eating disorders in London (5)

Caroline Russell: How is Thrive LDN working with government departments so that the messaging around obesity is not triggering for those with, and recovering from, eating disorders?

The Mayor: Through Thrive LDN, London has an established participation-driven partnership that engages with and responds to the needs and insights of Londoners. Thrive LDN works with a range of organisations who specialise in supporting vulnerable Londoners, ensuring messaging around sensitive subject matters like obesity is approached considerately and appropriately. This includes government agencies, such as the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, but also community and grassroots organisations who are working directly with Londoners, especially those who face the most challenging circumstances.
Working together across all of London’s health and care system is the only way in which we will tackle our city’s most complex health and care challenges. Through the Healthy Place, Healthy Weight Recovery Mission, partners remain aware of and sensitive to language being used, focusing on health and the importance of creating healthy local environments with multiple benefits, rather than on individual behaviour change.

Risk assessment for disabled people affected by surface water flooding (2)

Zack Polanski: Thank you for your answer to my question 2021/4418. You stated that the identification of vulnerable people only takes place during an incident. What consideration will you give to proactively identifying Londoners who could be vulnerable before incidents occur, and allowing people to register for early warnings or indicating that they are at higher risk so that they can be kept safe during future incidents?

The Mayor: My London Flood Awareness Week campaign promotes actions that Londoners can take to be better prepared. Last year’s campaign specifically targeted vulnerable groups including advice to register for public warning systems (such as Flood Warnings Direct and Met Office Severe Weather Warnings). This is especially important for vulnerable people.
I also encourage all vulnerable people to register with utility company priority services registers to ensure they receive priority support during a utility failure.
Proactively identifying vulnerable residents who may require extra support during incidents is part of the boroughs’ multi-agency flood plans (see MQ 2021/4418).
The task and finish group set up by my flooding roundtable is looking at this issue as well as wider issues and will be reporting shortly on their recommendations.
To proactively support communities at highest risk, I produced Climate Risk Maps showing areas of London that are most exposed to climate impacts. These maps have been used to target my grant programmes and have been disseminated to the Boroughs and other stakeholders for their use.
I have addressed a a London-wide surface water flood warning system with Defra . (see MQ 2021/3580)
.

Thames Water and flash flooding

Zack Polanski: The Thames Water report on flash flooding in London in 2021 is yet to be completed. What are you doing ahead of this report to ensure London is better prepared for future extreme weather or climate events?

The Mayor: Thames Water have commissioned an independent review to investigate this and will report in the spring. The GLA is engaged as members of the stakeholder group. My flooding roundtable, in place since July 2021, has already led to improvements in incident response and is also looking at how we address longer term flood risk from climate change .
Immediate changes include streamlined communications between partners, better sharing of data during incidents, increased capacity in Thames Water’s call centre. The roundtable has established a task and finish group co-chaired by the London Councils and the Environment Agency who represent Flood Risk Management Authorities. The group will make recommendations shortly including improvements to strategic planning, data and evidence - see MQ2021/5082.

Eating disorders in London (2)

Caroline Russell: NICE guidance states that people with eating disorders will not be turned away from medical care based on their BMI, however recent reports show that patients are being refused appropriate care because of their BMI. Will you support the #DumpTheScales campaign and work to ensure that no one is turned away from care or treatment based on their BMI?

The Mayor: The #DumpTheScales campaign has done so much to raise awareness on this important issue.
Although I am not responsible for health and care services, including eating disorder treatment, I will continue to use my role as Mayor to call for equal and improved provision of and access to services across London.
I continue to meet regularly with senior NHS leaders to champion and challenge them to provide the high quality care Londoners deserve, including adherence to evidence-based guidance.
NHS England & Improvement and Healthy London Partnership are working with adult eating disorder (AED) services to ensure that AED pathways remove any barriers to access such as weight or BMI, and services have been asked to share their plans to remove the BMI thresholds. As a part of the community mental health ambition, systems will be creating plans to remove BMI threshold through 22/23.

Eating disorders in London (3)

Caroline Russell: Access to treatment for eating disorders in London varies depending on which borough a person lives in. What work are you doing to end these inequalities and ensure that everyone has equal access to support?

The Mayor: Through my Health Inequalities Strategy, I set out plans to tackle unfair differences in health to make London a healthier, fairer city. So whilst I am not responsible or accountable for health and care services, I will continue to meet regularly with senior NHS leaders and health and care partners to champion and challenge them to provide the high quality care Londoners deserve, including improved and equal provision of services across London.
In line with the Advancing Mental Health Equalities Strategy, work is underway within London’s Integrated Care Systems to ensure that Community Eating Disorder services are co-produced and ensure equality in service access. This includes tailored outreach and working with the VCS to support underserved communities such as BAME communities, transgender and non-binary people, and groups more at risk of developing an eating disorder but less likely to report good experiences of care in NHS services, such as LGBTQIA+communities.

Coronavirus major incident declared in December 2021

Caroline Russell: What positive impact did declaring a major incident on 18 December have on London’s coronavirus response?

The Mayor: Declaring a Major Incident not only brought London’s responders together through a Strategic Coordinating Group but also highlighted to Londoners the seriousness of the situation we faced. Both the NHS and London Ambulance Service reported an immediate reduction in their service pressures for the week following the announcement.
Through invoking a Major Incident and re-forming the London SCG we established direct and senior routes into Central Government policy teams and have engaged directly on the policy changes that are being made. It enabled responders to cooperate and coordinate in an agile manner, sharing their joint understanding of the risk to London as the situation in relation to Omicron changed rapidly. It enabled agencies to share their service impacts, the interdependencies, and the options for inter-agency support if, but thankfully so far not, needed.

Eating disorders in London (1)

Caroline Russell: A constituent has reported that there has been a huge increase in the number of children and adults with eating disorders during the pandemic. What are you doing to tackle this rise through your health inequalities work, and also to ensure that Londoners affected by eating disorders are getting the right care?

The Mayor: Services and support for people with eating disordersare provided by the NHS and health and care partners. Work is being undertaken to maintain the 95% NHS waiting time standard for both urgent and routine cases and ensure there is sufficient service capacity.
My health advisor Dr Tom Coffey continues to endorse eating disorder guidelines for professionals, raising awareness of the signs of eating disorders, and how to support children and young people across different settings.
Through my Health Inequalities Strategy I have committed to Londoners having an equal opportunity to good mental health and wellbeing and knowledge of support. Last year I invested £70,000 in expanding Good Thinking’s digital mental health support offer to young Londoners, including information, advice and support for young people, parents and carers affected by an eating disorder. I am also ensuring that London’s Youth Mental Health First Aiders are offered training around eating disorders.

Housing for Older Londoners (1)

Sem Moema: What scope is there to increase the amount of housing for older Londoners within your London Plan targets?

The Mayor: Table 4.3 of my London Plan provides annual borough benchmarks for specialist older persons housing for 2017 to 2029. Whilst there is no scope currently to alter these benchmarks, paragraph 4.13.09 states that they are designed to inform local level assessments of specialist housing need and boroughs should plan proactively to meet their identified need for older persons accommodation. Beyond 2029 to 2041, it is anticipated that the number of older persons households will continue to increase, although at a slightly slower rate than from 2017 to 2029.
My wider London Plan policies on inclusive design (policy D5) and accessible housing (policy D7) seek to enable London’s diverse population, including its growing older population to live independent and dignified lives that would enable them to stay in their homes longer.

Housing for Older Londoners (2)

Sem Moema: What scope is there to encourage older Londoners to move into affordable housing developed by TfL?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) aims to start on the sites that deliver 20,000 homes over the next 10 years, with 50 per cent of these homes being affordable. The mix of housing on each site will be determined through consultation and the planning application process.
The London Plan makes clear that boroughs should ensure a range of new homes are provided that meet the needs of those who wish to downsize. These may well include specialist housing for older people (for which the Plan outlines annual benchmarks at borough-level).

Construction Costs and TfL Housebuilding

Sem Moema: What assessments has TfL conducted of the impact of increasing construction costs on its housebuilding programme?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) continually reviews and models the construction costs of developments. TfL works very closely with industry experts to obtain latest estimates and, where partners are already constructing buildings, live data is used.

Idling Buses (2)

Neil Garratt: What process is there to make sure bus drivers don’t leave their engines idling, and to report where this is happening?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Caroline Pidgeon’s question 2021/4781.

AECOM Pedal Confusion Research

Keith Prince: On what exact date did TfL Commission AECOM to undertake research to better understand pedal confusion?

The Mayor: Transport for London commissioned AECOM to undertake research to better understand pedal confusion on 13 February 2020. The progress and completion of this research has been delayed owing to the ongoing restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.